---
title: "Tactical Breathing: What It Is, How It Works, Cited Research & Best Free Videos"
description: "Tactical breathing is a structured, counted breathing technique, usually the same as box breathing, that uses equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold to help steady the body and mind under stress."
canonical: "https://insighttimer.com/techniques/breathwork/tactical-breathing"
category: "Breathwork"
last_reviewed: "2026-07-28"
---

# What is Tactical Breathing?

Tactical breathing is a structured, counted breathing technique, usually the same as box breathing, that uses equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold to help steady the body and mind under stress (Lee et al., 2023).

**Evidence: Indirect Evidence.** This uses the same equal-count pattern as box breathing, which has a plausible parasympathetic basis and early pilots reporting lower in-the-moment anxiety, plus a marksmanship trial. Reviewers describe the wider breathwork evidence as fragmented and inconsistent in quality, and most support here is carried over from box breathing rather than measured on this drill. Read the support as indirect.

Last updated: 2026-07-28

We are still reviewing this page. Our research team checks every technique page for accuracy and evidence quality before final release. Details may change as that review completes. The evidence badge shows our current reading of the published research.

## Explore Tactical Breathing

- [Managing Extreme Stress For Military Service Members & First Responders (Exercise Only - With Kate Tumelty Felice)](https://insighttimer.com/jondmac01/guided-meditations/managing-extreme-stress-for-military-service-members-and-first-responders-exercise-only) — Jon Macaskill, Guided, 2 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Metta Tree Meditation And Breath Work](https://insighttimer.com/ryanbean/guided-meditations/metta-tree-meditation-and-breath-work) — Ryan Bean, Guided, 23 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Healing The Parental Line](https://insighttimer.com/awakenwbrandon/guided-meditations/healing-the-parental-line) — Brandon Wilcox, Guided, 19 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Breathwork To Release Stress & Tension](https://insighttimer.com/jakekokot/guided-meditations/breathwork-to-release-stress-tension) — Jake Kokot, Guided, 29 min, rated 4.8/5

### Tactical Breathing effort level

#### How hard is Tactical Breathing?

**Moderate** (2 / 4). A plain four-count box carries the breath, in, hold, out, hold, a rhythm built to hold together when stress tries to scatter your thoughts.

- **Mental Effort** (2 / 4): Keeping the four-count going while your nerves are firing takes a bit of grip, though the count itself stays deliberately simple.
- **Emotional Depth** (1 / 4): The drill is there to settle a stress response, not to open anything up, so it asks nothing emotional of you.
- **Physical Intensity** (2 / 4): The slow four-count phases and short holds are noticeable at the edges but stay mild at normal pacing.
- **Prior Knowledge** (2 / 4): Memorise the four-count pattern beforehand so it is ready when you need it under pressure; that is the whole setup.

## Recommended dose: How Much Tactical Breathing Should You Do?

### beginner

A pilot study found that one-minute breathing exercises reduced state anxiety during acute-threat situations, showing that very short sessions can help in the moment. A one-month randomised study of daily 5-minute box breathing—a close analogue of tactical breathing—reported improved mood and reduced stress, and a controlled study in soldiers applied brief tactical breathing practice. Start with short, frequent reps; the ~5-minute daily dose is extrapolated from box breathing rather than tactical breathing directly.

- Session length: 1–5 minutes. How long each individual practice session should last from start to finish.
- Frequency: 7 days per week. The number of days per week to fit a session into your routine.

### intermediate

Sustained daily short-form breathing over 4 weeks to 1 month is linked to lower stress in working adults, including a 4-week series in physicians and a one-month study of daily 5-minute box breathing. The 5-minute end of this range reflects those protocols; extending toward 10 minutes is an editorial step-up for building consistency, so the session length is a mix of cited and inferred guidance.

- Session length: 5–10 minutes. How long each individual practice session should last from start to finish.
- Frequency: 7 days per week. The number of days per week to fit a session into your routine.

### extended

Longer structured programs—such as a 7-week mind-body program for service members and one-month daily breathing studies—support maintaining a daily practice over time, which underpins the frequency guidance here. The 10–15 minute session length is an editorial extension for established practitioners; the longest paced-breathing sessions in the cited literature ran only a few minutes, so this duration is not directly evidenced.

- Session length: 10–15 minutes. How long each individual practice session should last from start to finish.
- Frequency: 7 days per week. The number of days per week to fit a session into your routine.

*About this card.* Evidence for tactical breathing is drawn partly from the technique itself and partly extrapolated from closely related short breathwork such as box breathing, so some doses are cited while others are editorial estimates. These recommendations are not a substitute for personalised guidance from a qualified practitioner.

## Related techniques to Tactical Breathing

- [Box Breathing](https://insighttimer.com/techniques/breathwork/box-breathing)
- [Counted Breathing](https://insighttimer.com/techniques/breathwork/counted-breathing)
- [Breath Retention](https://insighttimer.com/techniques/breathwork/breath-retention)
- [Paced Breathing](https://insighttimer.com/techniques/breathwork/paced-breathing)

## Common questions about Tactical Breathing

### What does the research say about Tactical Breathing?

*evidence*

Small randomized trials, mostly in soldiers, link tactical breathing to steadier composure under acute stress: one study of 100 student soldiers found better first-shot marksmanship accuracy, and another found lower stress. Related slow-breathing research shows calmer physiology. Evidence remains limited and military-focused, with no proof it treats any diagnosed condition.

### Who is Tactical Breathing good for?

*good for*

Tactical breathing suits anyone who needs a simple, portable way to steady themselves in a tense moment—before a high-pressure task, during a confrontation, or when a racing heart and scattered attention need a fast anchor. Studied mainly in soldiers and cadets, it is not a substitute for care when anxiety, panic, or trauma symptoms are severe.

### Is Tactical Breathing safe?

*safety*

Most healthy adults can practise tactical breathing safely. The four-count breath holds can cause mild lightheadedness or air-hunger, so people with heart or lung conditions or who are pregnant should shorten or drop the holds. Those prone to panic or trauma may find close attention to the breath heightens distress; go slowly with professional support.

### How does Tactical Breathing work?

*how it works*

Tactical breathing slows and evens the breath toward roughly five or six breaths a minute, shifting the nervous system toward its rest-and-recover branch, which slows heart rate and eases muscle tension after a stress spike. Counting each four-beat phase gives attention a clear target, pulling focus away from spiralling worry and into the feel of breathing.

## Tactical Breathing tracks & video

Explore guided sessions to deepen your Tactical Breathing technique.

- [Your Words Are Powerful](https://insighttimer.com/breathpod/guided-meditations/visualize-become-your-next-level-self) — Stuart Sandeman, Guided, 11 min, rated 4.9/5
- [Metta Tree Meditation And Breath Work](https://insighttimer.com/ryanbean/guided-meditations/metta-tree-meditation-and-breath-work) — Ryan Bean, Guided, 23 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Managing Extreme Stress For Military Service Members & First Responders (Exercise Only - With Kate Tumelty Felice)](https://insighttimer.com/jondmac01/guided-meditations/managing-extreme-stress-for-military-service-members-and-first-responders-exercise-only) — Jon Macaskill, Guided, 2 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Immediate Anxiety Relief: Cortisol Detox Breathwork](https://insighttimer.com/Life.Force.Awakening/guided-meditations/calm-in-5-minutes-cortisol-detox-breath) — Jeremiah Hoeft, Guided, 6 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Breathwork To Release Stress & Tension](https://insighttimer.com/jakekokot/guided-meditations/breathwork-to-release-stress-tension) — Jake Kokot, Guided, 29 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Healing The Parental Line](https://insighttimer.com/awakenwbrandon/guided-meditations/healing-the-parental-line) — Brandon Wilcox, Guided, 19 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Tactical Breath Meditation For Leaders](https://insighttimer.com/DianeAlarcon/guided-meditations/tactical-breath-meditation-for-leaders) — Diane Alarcon, Guided, 2 min, rated 4.8/5
- [174Hz Binaural: Panic Relief (Acute Anxiety Reset)](https://insighttimer.com/jeffreyallen/guided-meditations/174hz-binaural-panic-relief-acute-anxiety-reset) — Jeffrey Allen, Guided, 5 min, rated 5.0/5

## What does a Tactical Breathing session involve?

Tactical breathing is a counted breathing drill, usually the same as box breathing, using equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold to help steady the body and mind under stress.

The core is a counted, four-part cycle matching box breathing: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four, repeated in even rounds. The counting is kept deliberately simple and repetitive so it stays doable under acute stress, when higher-order thinking gets harder. Practitioners usually run the cadence silently, using the count as both an anchor for attention and a reset before or during a demanding moment.

Tactical breathing is usually the same pattern as box breathing; the difference is context and framing rather than mechanics, since it was developed for military, law-enforcement, and emergency-responder use under acute threat. Do not confuse it with faster or activating breathwork styles, breath-hold free-diving practices, or diaphragmatic breathing programs. Its strong military reputation explains its adoption and appeal, not proven clinical efficacy.

### Not to be confused with

- **Box Breathing:** These are essentially the same practice: the standard tactical breathing protocol is box breathing, equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold. The difference is framing, tactical breathing is box breathing presented as an operational skill for staying steady under threat.
- **Combat Breathing:** Combat breathing is another name for the same counted 4-4-4-4 drill, popularized in military and first-responder settings; it is not a distinct technique.
- **4-7-8 Breathing:** 4-7-8 breathing uses unequal counts with a long exhale and is aimed mainly at winding down or falling asleep, unlike tactical breathing's equal counts and breath holds built for staying composed under acute stress.

## How does Tactical Breathing work?

Tactical breathing works mainly by slowing and evening out the breath, which shifts the autonomic nervous system toward parasympathetic activity, the rest-and-recover branch that slows heart rate and eases muscle tension after a stress spike (Joseph et al., 2005), (Raupach et al., 2008). Counting each four-beat phase adds a second layer, giving attention a clear target to hold so focus is pulled away from spiraling worry and into the immediate feel of breathing. This mechanism evidence comes from slow-breathing research in clinical and exercise groups rather than tactical breathing itself, so the calming shift is inferred rather than measured for this specific drill.

### Possible mechanisms

**Parasympathetic Activation**

The body settles a notch when slow, evenly paced breathing engages the parasympathetic, or rest-and-recover, branch of the nervous system, the side that slows heart rate and eases tension after a stress spike (Joseph et al., 2005), (Raupach et al., 2008). This is likely part of why tactical breathing's counted 4-4-4-4 pattern can leave you feeling steadier under pressure, though the supporting evidence comes from slow-breathing studies in other groups rather than from tactical breathing itself.

**Arousal Downregulation**

Slowing your breath during a tense moment lowers the body's physical arousal, so the pounding heart and keyed-up alertness of stress begin to settle and felt anxiety eases (McCaul et al., 1979).

**Autonomic Balancing**

When you breathe to a slow, counted pace, you may feel your heartbeat slow, your shoulders loosen, and your body stop bracing for threat. That comes from autonomic balancing, a tilt in the nervous system away from the fight-or-flight response and toward the rest-and-recover branch that lets the body settle (Joseph et al., 2005), (Raupach et al., 2008).

**Vagal Tone Modulation**

Within a few slow, evenly counted breaths, many people feel the pulse steady and the chest loosen as that keyed-up, on-alert feeling starts to ease. This works partly by raising activity in the vagus nerve, the main pathway of the body's rest-and-recover branch, which slows the heart and softens physical tension (Joseph et al., 2005), (Takuya et al., 2011), (Raupach et al., 2008).

## What does Tactical Breathing do to the body?

Tactical breathing slows your breathing rate toward roughly five or six breaths a minute, which many people feel as breath that becomes deeper and less effortful as the chest and shoulders ease (Lin et al., 2014). Studies of box and slow breathing also measured higher heart-rate variability, a sign the body is recovering more flexibly, alongside a drop in salivary alpha-amylase, the saliva-based stress marker that rises with fight-or-flight and falls as it eases (Jones et al., 2026), (Dillard et al., 2023). Most of these readings come from box or paced breathing in general rather than tactical breathing by name, and they were recorded during or just after practice rather than as lasting changes.

**Cortisol**

After a stressful surge, that wired, on-edge feeling can start to loosen as slow, paced breathing helps bring cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, back toward a calmer baseline. Direct cortisol readings for tactical breathing are still limited, but a related stress marker fell after slow breathing during a virtual active-shooter drill (Dillard et al., 2023).

**Respiratory Rate**

As the slow, counted pace takes over, breathing often feels deeper and less effortful, and the chest and shoulders start to ease. That felt change reflects a lower respiratory rate, fewer breaths each minute, which studies of similar box and paced breathing have measured (Jones et al., 2026), (Lin et al., 2014).

**Sympathetic arousal**

When stress leaves the body wired and on high alert, slow, paced breathing can help it settle. Used around a stressful event, this kind of breathing has been measured to lower salivary alpha-amylase, a saliva-based marker of fight-or-flight arousal, and people often feel less jittery as the jaw and shoulders loosen (Dillard et al., 2023).

**Baroreflex Sensitivity**

After a stress spike, tactical breathing can help the body recover more smoothly, with heart rate settling and steadying. This lines up with baroreflex sensitivity, the reflex that adjusts heart rate to keep blood pressure steady, which rises during slow paced breathing at around six breaths a minute (Joseph et al., 2005); tactical breathing itself hasn't been measured for this directly, but closely related studies show heart-rate variability rising and stress markers falling (Jones et al., 2026), (Dillard et al., 2023).

**Sympathovagal Balance**

After a stressful moment, the body can feel wired and braced, unable to settle. Sympathovagal balance describes how it divides work between its fight-or-flight and rest-and-recover branches; in studies of box and slow breathing, heart-rate variability rose and a sympathetic stress marker fell around stressful drills (Jones et al., 2026), (Dillard et al., 2023), a shift toward the recovery side that people often feel as the chest loosening, breathing slowing, and that keyed-up sense of threat beginning to fade.

**Sympathetic Tone**

That wired, keyed-up feeling after a stressful moment tends to ease with slow, balanced breathing like the box pattern used here, as sympathetic tone, the activity of the body's fight-or-flight branch, settles. In one virtual active-shooter drill, slow breathing lowered a sympathetic stress marker after the stressor (Dillard et al., 2023), and related work links equal-count slow breathing to a calmer autonomic balance (Jones et al., 2026), (Lin et al., 2014).

## What is Tactical Breathing used for?

Limited, mostly indirect evidence, drawn largely from narrow military groups, supports tactical breathing for composure and performance under acute stress: in one study of student soldiers it improved first-shot marksmanship accuracy (Ibrahim et al., 2023), and in another, soldiers who used it as a stress-management skill registered lower stress (Bouchard et al., 2012). Related slow-breathing research points to calmer physiology, including steadier heart-rhythm recovery after hard exertion (Jones et al., 2026). What is not yet supported: large trials, effects beyond military and tactical samples, lasting change over time, and any claim that it treats a diagnosed condition. Skilled performance under pressure also does not reliably improve (Conlon et al., 2022), (Kula et al., 2025).

## What does the research say about Tactical Breathing?

The strongest single finding is that student soldiers trained in tactical breathing shot far more accurately on the hardest first shot than an untrained group, a very large effect (Cohen's d = 1.698, p <.001, n = 100) that in practical terms means the average trained shooter outperformed nearly everyone in the comparison group (Ibrahim et al., 2023). Beyond that, a soldier study linked the practice to lower acute stress (Bouchard et al., 2012), and related slow-breathing research shows steadier autonomic recovery and blunted stress markers around simulated threats (Jones et al., 2026), (Dillard et al., 2023). The main limits are that samples are small and mostly military, and slow breathing does not reliably improve skilled performance under pressure (Conlon et al., 2022).

- Meta-analyses: 0
- RCTs: 7
- Systematic reviews: 0
- Observational: 4
- Pilot: 5

### Studied populations

- student soldiers
- soldiers with stress-management training
- tactical-athlete cadets
- healthy adults
- healthy college students
- adult males under threat of shock
- adults in vr stress drill

### Outcomes measured

- acute stress (salivary cortisol, heart rate)
- heart rate variability and relaxation with equal-ratio slow breathing
- high-frequency hrv / parasympathetic reactivation after exertion
- marksmanship accuracy under pressure
- parasympathetic activation, baroreflex sensitivity, sympathetic suppression
- physiological arousal and self-reported anxiety under threat
- salivary alpha-amylase stress response to acute stressor

### Effect sizes

| Outcome | Effect size | 95% CI | N | Comparator | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| initial-shot marksmanship accuracy | Cohen's d = 1.698 | — | 100 | no-intervention control | Ibrahim et al., 2023 |
| HF-HRV Time x Group interaction | partial eta squared = 0.21 | — | 62 | spontaneous breathing control | Jones et al., 2026 |
| mood improvement and respiratory rate reduction | reported significant; p<0.05 | — | — | mindfulness meditation | Balban et al., 2023 |
| salivary alpha-amylase | reported significant; p<0.001 | — | 79 | normal breathing control | Dillard et al., 2023 |

### Limitations

- Some extracted statistics are significance-only (p-values) rather than full effect-size estimates.

The research is useful for setting expectations, but study methods and participant groups vary. Treat the findings as general guidance rather than a promise about any single session, and not a replacement for clinical care.

## Which studies have tested Tactical Breathing?

**The A52 Breath Method: A Narrative Review of Breathwork for Mental Health and Stress Resilience**

2025

Finding: This review looked across the existing research on breathwork, including slow, diaphragmatic, nasal breathing and breath-holding, and found the field promising but still uneven, with studies that vary widely in quality and design. Its authors point out that most breathing techniques appear to work through the same basic effects on the nervous system, so there is not yet solid evidence that one structured method, such as tactical breathing, outperforms the others. For someone considering the practice, the takeaway is encouraging but modest: deliberate slow breathing is a reasonable tool to explore, though claims that a specific protocol is uniquely effective aren't backed up here. The reviewers call for more rigorous, controlled trials before any single technique can be singled out as best.

**Cognitive Improvement through Breathing Exercises in Post-Stroke Respiratory Sarcopenia: A Review**

2023

Finding: This review of breathing exercises used in recovery after stroke lists "Box Breathing (Tactical Breathing)" among the structured techniques it examined, treating the two names as the same practice: equal counts of inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding again. For someone considering tactical breathing, the useful takeaway here is simply that it is the same method often called box breathing, not a separate protocol. The review was designed to map and compare breathing exercises rather than to test whether tactical breathing works, so it doesn't tell us how well the technique reduces stress or improves any outcome on its own.

**Breathwork for Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Does Choosing a Specific Technique Matter?**

2025

Finding: This review took stock of the breathwork research so far and found the field is still patchy: studies vary widely in quality and method, so it's hard to say any one breathing style clearly outperforms another. The reviewers point out that most structured breathing techniques, tactical breathing included, likely work through the same basic effects on the nervous system rather than through anything unique to a specific protocol. For someone considering tactical breathing, this is encouraging but honest news: the practice sits within a promising area, though we don't yet have the well-controlled trials needed to claim it works better than other breathing methods.

**Effectiveness of Structured Breathwork Interventions on Heart Rate Variability and Heart Rate Recovery Following Maximal Exertion in Tactical Athletes**

n = 62

Finding: In a controlled trial with 62 tactical-athlete cadets, box breathing (the tactical breathing pattern) helped the body switch back into its rest-and-recover mode faster after all-out physical exertion than simply breathing on its own, with a similar benefit seen for cyclic sighing. Researchers tracked this through heart-rate variability, a signal of how quickly the nervous system settles down, and the breathing groups recovered more strongly. For someone using tactical breathing, this suggests a few structured breaths after intense effort may speed the shift toward calm. Keep in mind this was a small, single-session study measuring immediate recovery, so it does not tell us about longer-term or lasting cardiovascular benefits.

`partial eta squared = 0.21`

**The first shot counts the most: Tactical breathing as an intervention to increase marksmanship accuracy in student officers**

n = 100

Finding: In a controlled trial with 100 student soldiers, those who used tactical breathing before firing scored about 1.9 points higher on the demanding first shot than a group that did not, a large difference in a simulated shooting task. A person's personality made no difference to the benefit, which suggests the technique may steady almost anyone in a high-pressure moment when accuracy matters most. Keep in mind this was a single study in a narrow setting, so the gains apply to precision performance under stress rather than to broad everyday tasks or health.

`Cohen's d = 1.698`

**Using Biofeedback while Immersed in a Stressful Videogame Increases the Effectiveness of Stress Management Skills in Soldiers**

n = 41

Finding: In a small randomized trial of 41 soldiers, those who practised tactical breathing using visual and audio biofeedback inside a stressful video-game scenario showed lower stress during a later simulated ambush, seen in reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their saliva and a lower heart rate, compared with soldiers who did no extra training. This suggests that rehearsing paced breathing under realistic pressure may help the body stay calmer when a high-stress moment actually arrives. Keep in mind the study was small and involved soldiers who already had prior stress-management training, so it shows the skill can be sharpened rather than proving it works the same way for everyone or replaces that foundational training.

`reported narratively`

**296 Implementation of Tactical Breathing During Simulated Stressful Situations and Effects on Clinical Performance**

2016

Finding: When a small group of emergency medicine residents performed a high-pressure simulated breathing-tube insertion, tactical breathing did not make them any faster; their timing stayed essentially unchanged whether or not they used the technique. It did, however, come with a higher success rate on the task (every attempt succeeded with the breathing technique, compared with most attempts without it), and most residents felt it helped them stay composed. Because this was a small simulation study in one specialised group of medical trainees, it is best read as a hint rather than proof: tactical breathing may steady you under acute pressure, but you shouldn't expect it to speed up a demanding hands-on task.

**Slow Breathing Reduces Biomarkers of Stress in Response to a Virtual Reality Active Shooter Training Drill**

n = 79

Finding: In this trial with 79 people put through a virtual-reality active-shooter drill, those who used slow, controlled breathing before and after the ordeal had a lower rise in a saliva-based stress marker (alpha-amylase, which climbs when the body's fight-or-flight system fires up), while the group that breathed normally showed that marker spike after the drill. In plain terms, taking a few minutes to breathe slowly around a high-pressure moment appears to blunt one of the body's physical stress reactions rather than letting it run unchecked. It's worth knowing this was a single controlled study built around an intense simulated threat, so it points to a real physiological effect but doesn't mean slow breathing switches the stress response off entirely.

`reported significant; p<0.001`

**Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal**

2023

Finding: In this one-month study, healthy adults who practised just five minutes of daily breathwork reported bigger improvements in mood, and a slower resting breathing rate, than those assigned to an equal amount of mindfulness meditation. Box breathing (equal-length inhales, holds, and exhales) was one of the techniques that helped, though the exhale-focused style known as cyclic sighing produced the largest lift in mood. For someone starting out, this suggests a short, consistent daily breathing routine can shift how you feel, with an emphasis on longer exhales appearing especially useful. Keep in mind the trial ran remotely with healthy adults over a single month, so it speaks to short-term mood rather than long-term or clinical outcomes.

`reported significant; p<0.05`

**Breathing at a rate of 5.5 breaths per minute with equal inhalation-to-exhalation ratio increases heart rate variability.**

n = 47

Finding: In an experiment with 47 healthy adults, breathing slowly at about 5.5 breaths a minute with matched inhale and exhale counts produced the greatest heart-rate variability, a sign of a more flexible, responsive nervous system, and every paced breathing pattern left people feeling more relaxed than their normal breathing did. For a practice like tactical breathing, which relies on that same even in-and-out count, this points to why slowing down and balancing your breath can help you feel calmer. Keep in mind this was a short lab study in healthy young volunteers, so it captures an immediate shift in the moment rather than any lasting change in health.

`reported narratively`

**Does heart rate variability predict and improve performance in pediatric CPR?—a simulation study**

2025

Finding: In a randomized simulation of high-pressure pediatric resuscitation, a short bout of slow-paced breathing did not improve how well medical teams performed CPR compared with those who skipped it. What did track with better performance was a calmer, more flexible nervous system at the outset (measured through heart-rate variability), suggesting your baseline state matters more than a quick breathing drill in the heat of the moment. The practical takeaway: a brief breathing exercise may steady some stress responses, but don't count on it to sharpen a demanding, high-stakes skill on the spot. This was a single simulated study with trained responders, so it speaks to acute, under-pressure performance rather than the calming benefits of a regular breathing practice.

**Effects of paced respiration and expectations on physiological and psychological responses to threat.**

1979

Finding: In this early controlled study, 105 men waiting to receive mild electric shocks were asked to either slow their breathing to about half their normal rate, breathe at a normal rate, or not manage their breathing at all. Those who slowed their breath showed lower physical signs of stress, including calmer skin and blood-flow responses, and reported feeling less anxious, though their heart rate stayed about the same and being told the exercise would help them relax made no measurable difference. For someone facing a tense moment, this suggests deliberately slowing your breath can take the edge off both the body's stress response and the felt anxiety, though the effect here was limited to young men in a lab setting and did not extend to heart rate.

**Effects of prolonged expiration breathing on cardiopulmonary responses during incremental exercise.**

2011

Finding: In a small controlled trial with eleven healthy men, breathing with a longer out-breath than in-breath (about two seconds in, four seconds out) shifted the balance of the nervous system away from its stress-driven "fight or flight" gear and toward the calmer "rest and recover" side, even during exercise. For someone practising tactical breathing, this helps explain why deliberately stretching out the exhale can steady the body: the extended out-breath appears to be the part that dials down arousal. Because this was a brief study of a handful of fit young men, it points to how the technique works rather than proving benefits for everyday stress, so treat it as a clue to the mechanism, not a guaranteed result for everyone.

**Pulling the Trigger: The Effect of a 5-Minute Slow Diaphragmatic Breathing Intervention on Psychophysiological Stress Responses and Pressurized Pistol Shooting Performance**

2022

Finding: In a trial with 67 young adults, a brief five-minute round of slow diaphragmatic breathing before a high-pressure pistol-shooting task eased the mental side of nerves, lowering worried, anxious thoughts, but it did not slow participants' heart rate or meaningfully sharpen their actual shooting under pressure. In practical terms, a quick breathing reset may quiet the racing mind before a stressful moment, yet it is not a reliable way to steady your body or boost skilled performance on the spot. Because this was a short, one-session study with college-aged volunteers in a simulated task, it speaks more to in-the-moment calm than to lasting gains, and the effects on real performance were modest at best.

**Slow Breathing Improves Arterial Baroreflex Sensitivity and Decreases Blood Pressure in Essential Hypertension**

2005

Finding: This study tested what happens in the body during slow breathing at about six breaths per minute, and found that this pace lowered the activity of the "fight-or-flight" branch of the nervous system while sharpening the reflex that helps regulate blood pressure moment to moment. In plain terms, deliberately slowing your breath appears to shift the nervous system toward a calmer, rest-and-recover state, which is the physiological basis for why paced breathing can feel settling. Because this was a mechanistic study of short-term bodily responses rather than a treatment trial, it explains how the technique acts on the body but does not on its own prove long-term health outcomes.

**Slow breathing reduces sympathoexcitation in COPD**

2008

Finding: This study measured nervous-system activity directly in adults with chronic lung disease and found that slowing the breath calmed the body's stress-driving "fight or flight" signals while sharpening the reflex that keeps blood pressure and heart rate steady. In plain terms, deliberately slowing your breathing appears to tip the nervous system toward a calmer, rest-and-recover state, which helps explain why paced tactical breathing can feel steadying under pressure. Keep in mind this was a small mechanistic study in a specific patient group, so it shows how the body responds in the moment rather than proving long-term benefits for the general public.

## Where does Tactical Breathing come from?

Tactical breathing comes from military and first-responder culture, where it was popularized as a way to stay steady under fire and protect performance when the stakes are highest, notably through Dave Grossman's book "On Combat" and special-operations trainers. These operational roots help explain the practice's form, its deliberately simple, repeatable counting built to survive acute stress, rather than proving any clinical effect.

## Is Tactical Breathing safe?

For most healthy adults, tactical breathing is low-risk and tends to feel steadying rather than taxing. A few situations call for care. The 4-count breath holds can bring on mild lightheadedness or air-hunger, the uneasy sense of not quite getting a full breath, for people with heart or lung conditions or during pregnancy; this caution is inferred from how breath retention affects the body, not from harm measured in studies. Closely tracking the breath can also heighten rather than settle anxiety for some people prone to panic or trauma responses, which is a practice-informed caution. Use tactical breathing as a self-regulation skill alongside professional care, not instead of it, especially since the breathwork research base is still limited in quality (Siebieszuk et al., 2025).

### Who should practise with care?

People with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, and those who are pregnant, should approach the breath-hold phases gently or drop them entirely. Holding the breath can prompt lightheadedness or the feeling of not getting a full breath, a caution drawn from how breath retention works in the body rather than from a documented adverse event. Anyone prone to panic attacks or actively working through trauma may find that concentrating hard on internal body signals amplifies distress instead of easing it, so going slowly and with professional support is wise. This is a practice-informed caution. Treat tactical breathing as a supportive skill, not a treatment for clinical anxiety, PTSD, or any medical condition.

#### Heart or lung conditions

*low* · *practice-informed*

The 4-count breath holds can bring on mild lightheadedness or air-hunger, the uneasy sense of not quite getting a full breath, for people with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions. Approach the hold phases gently or drop them entirely and simply breathe slowly in and out, since the calming effect comes mainly from the slow, even pace. This caution is drawn from how breath retention affects the body rather than from a documented adverse event.

#### Pregnancy

*low* · *practice-informed*

During pregnancy the breath-hold phases can prompt lightheadedness or the feeling of not getting a full breath, so shorten the holds or skip them and keep to a slow, even inhale and exhale. This is a physiology-based caution about breath retention rather than harm measured in a study, and it is wise to check with your care provider before practising.

#### Panic or trauma responses

*low* · *practice-informed*

Closely tracking the breath and internal body signals can amplify distress rather than settle it for people prone to panic attacks or actively working through trauma. Go slowly, keep sessions short, stop if anxiety rises instead of eases, and practise with professional support. This is a practice-informed caution, and because the breathwork research base is still limited in quality, tactical breathing is best used as a self-regulation skill alongside professional care, not as a treatment for clinical anxiety or PTSD.

### How to practise safely?

Tactical breathing is best approached somewhere stable and safe, seated rather than driving or standing on uneven ground, so that a moment of lightheadedness stays harmless. Keep each phase smooth and sustainable rather than strained, and treat the even 4-count breath as something you can ease off at any time. If you have a heart or lung condition, are pregnant, or tend toward panic, go gently and lean on professional care alongside this skill rather than in place of it.

1. **Settle before you start.** Sit or stand somewhere stable where you can stop safely. Practising seated first, rather than while driving or standing on uneven ground, means a moment of lightheadedness stays harmless.
2. **Breathe the even count.** Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four, keeping each phase smooth and unforced. The pace should feel like effort you can sustain, not a strain.
3. **Shorten or drop the holds if they feel uneasy.** If the 4-count holds bring on lightheadedness or air-hunger, cut them shorter or skip them and simply breathe slowly in and out. The calming effect comes mainly from the slow, even pace, so you lose little by easing the retention.
4. **Stop if you feel faint or more anxious.** If you notice dizziness, ringing in the ears, or rising panic rather than settling, return to normal breathing and let your body recover before trying again. These signals mean the dose is too much for right now, not that you have done anything wrong.
5. **Use it as support, not a substitute for care.** Reach for tactical breathing to steady yourself in a tense moment, and keep working with a clinician for anxiety, trauma, or any heart or lung condition. It is a skill that sits alongside professional treatment, not a replacement for it.

### Medical disclaimer

This information is educational and is not medical advice. This practice is not a substitute for professional care and should not replace prescribed medication or treatment for any medical or mental-health condition. If you are managing a health condition or taking medication, talk with a qualified health professional before changing your practice. If you are in distress or crisis, seek professional support.

## How does Tactical Breathing compare to similar techniques?

| Technique | Best for | Use with care | Distinction |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cyclic Sighing | Winding down and lifting low mood in calmer settings where you can focus on drawing each exhale out longer than the inhale. | In an acute, high-pressure moment the counted 4-4-4-4 cadence may be easier to hold onto than tracking a longer, uneven exhale. | Cyclic sighing emphasizes deliberately extended exhalations rather than the equal inhale, hold, exhale, hold counts of tactical breathing. Both slow the breath and nudge the body toward its rest-and-recover branch, but the long-exhale pattern seems to leave less room for the breath-holding that some people find uncomfortable, and it has drawn attention specifically for lifting mood. |
| Mindfulness Meditation | Building an ongoing, general capacity to observe thoughts and emotions with less reactivity over weeks of regular practice. | It asks for more sustained attention and practice time, so it is harder to reach for in the middle of an acute stress spike. | Mindfulness meditation trains open, non-judgmental attention to whatever arises, while tactical breathing prescribes a fixed counted rhythm designed to stay usable under acute stress. Meditation builds a broader, longer-term capacity to notice and sit with experience; the counted drill is a quick, structured reset for a demanding moment. |
| Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing | Learning to breathe low and slow, and easing everyday tension, including through guided or biofeedback-supported practice. | People who find breath-holding uneasy may prefer plain diaphragmatic breathing, which omits the retention phases. | Diaphragmatic breathing focuses on drawing air deep into the belly using the diaphragm, usually without the counted holds that define tactical breathing. Both slow and deepen the breath and can ease physical tension, but tactical breathing adds the counting structure and breath retentions that make it a repeatable drill under pressure. |
| Resonance (Slow-Paced) Breathing at ~6 Breaths per Minute | Deliberately raising heart-rate variability and settling the cardiovascular system, often with a pacer app or biofeedback. |  | Resonance breathing aims for a specific slow rate, roughly six breaths a minute with an even inhale and exhale, to maximize heart-rate variability, the beat-to-beat variation that tracks a calmer, more adaptable nervous system. Tactical breathing lands near this pace through its 4-4-4-4 count but is framed as a stress drill rather than a rate to dial in precisely. |

## Other questions readers ask

### Is tactical breathing the same as box breathing?

Usually, yes. In its standard protocol, tactical breathing is box breathing: equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold (typically 4-4-4-4). The difference is framing, not mechanism, tactical breathing is box breathing taught as an under-pressure operational skill (Lee et al., 2023).

Usually, yes. The standard tactical breathing pattern matches box breathing exactly: equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold, most often four each (Lee et al., 2023). What differs is context, not method. Tactical breathing is box breathing presented as a repeatable skill for staying steady under acute stress in military and first-responder settings. Some variations exist, so the two are usually rather than always identical, and the tactical framing adds no clinical benefit beyond the underlying breathing pattern.

### What is tactical breathing actually used for?

It is a simple counted breathing drill (usually box breathing: inhale, hold, exhale, hold for four each) used to steady the body and mind and hold composure in acute, high-pressure moments (Lee et al., 2023). It is a self-regulation skill, not a treatment for anxiety, panic, or PTSD.

It is used to stay composed under acute stress. Tactical breathing was popularized in military and first-responder settings, including through Dave Grossman's book 'On Combat,' as a deliberately simple, repeatable count that stays doable when a moment turns tense (Lee et al., 2023). In narrow military study, it has been examined as a stress-management skill and linked to lower acute stress in soldiers, though the evidence is limited to small, mostly military samples (Bouchard et al., 2012). It works best as a self-regulation skill alongside professional care, not as a treatment for anxiety, panic, or PTSD.

### Does tactical breathing actually help with stress?

In the moment, likely yes, for acute stress. A soldier study linked tactical breathing to lower stress (Bouchard et al., 2012), and slow-breathing studies show blunted stress markers around simulated threats (Dillard et al., 2023). The evidence is early rather than settled, and mostly from small military samples.

In the moment, yes for acute stress, though this is early evidence rather than a settled conclusion. In one study, soldiers who used tactical breathing as a stress-management skill registered lower stress (Bouchard et al., 2012), and slow-breathing research shows a drop in salivary alpha-amylase, a saliva-based stress marker, around simulated threats (Dillard et al., 2023). But samples are small and mostly military, effects are measured in the moment rather than as lasting change, and breathwork research overall is still limited in quality (Siebieszuk et al., 2025). That makes it a reasonable skill for steadying yourself under acute pressure, not a proven treatment for a diagnosed anxiety condition.

### How strong is the research behind tactical breathing?

Limited and mixed. A few small military studies point to real-world benefits like better first-shot marksmanship and lower soldier stress, but most physiology findings are borrowed from box and slow-breathing research in adjacent groups (Ibrahim et al., 2023), (Bouchard et al., 2012), (Siebieszuk et al., 2025).

Limited and mixed rather than settled. The most direct evidence comes from small military samples: one student-soldier study found improved accuracy on the hardest first shot, and another linked the practice to lower stress (Ibrahim et al., 2023), (Bouchard et al., 2012). Support for the calming physiology is indirect, drawn from box and slow-breathing studies in tactical-athlete and clinical groups rather than tactical breathing by name (Jones et al., 2026), (Joseph et al., 2005). Key limits remain: no large trials, little evidence beyond tactical samples, no lasting change shown, and slow breathing does not reliably improve skilled performance under pressure (Conlon et al., 2022), (Siebieszuk et al., 2025).

### Why does counting your breath help you calm down under pressure?

It works on two fronts. The counting gives your attention one simple target, pulling focus away from spiraling worry, while the slow, even pace can shift your body toward its rest-and-recover, parasympathetic branch and lower physical arousal (McCaul et al., 1979).

It works on two fronts. First, counting each phase anchors attention on a clear, doable target, which pulls focus away from racing thoughts. Second, slowing and evening out the breath appears to shift the nervous system toward parasympathetic activity, the body's rest-and-recover mode, and to lower felt arousal (McCaul et al., 1979), (Joseph et al., 2005), (Raupach et al., 2008). This is suggestive rather than settled: the calming shift is inferred from slow- and paced-breathing studies rather than measured for tactical breathing by name, and it is a self-regulation skill, not a treatment for clinical anxiety or panic.

### Can tactical breathing slow your heart rate?

Likely. Slow, evenly paced breathing like tactical breathing's 4-4-4-4 count shifts the nervous system toward its rest-and-recover, parasympathetic branch, which tends to slow heart rate (Joseph et al., 2005). This is inferred from slow- and box-breathing research rather than measured for tactical breathing by name.

Likely, though the evidence is indirect rather than proven for this drill. The mechanism is that slow, balanced breathing engages parasympathetic activity, the body's rest-and-recover mode, which is expected to steady the pulse (Joseph et al., 2005), (Raupach et al., 2008). Box and paced-breathing studies in adjacent groups link this pattern to steadier heart-rhythm recovery after exertion and higher heart-rate variability (Jones et al., 2026), (Lin et al., 2014). These shifts were recorded during or just after practice, not as lasting change, and were not measured for tactical breathing by name.

### Can tactical breathing make anxiety or panic worse?

For some people, it can. Most healthy adults find it steadying, but if you are prone to panic or working through trauma, closely tracking the breath, or holding it, may heighten anxiety or bring on lightheadedness. Go slowly, drop the holds, stop if distress rises, and use it alongside professional care rather than as a treatment.

For some people, it can. This is a practice-informed caution rather than documented harm: no study has directly measured anxiety worsening from tactical breathing, but close attention to internal body signals can amplify distress for people prone to panic or trauma responses, and the 4-count breath holds can trigger lightheadedness or air-hunger, the uncomfortable sense of not getting a full breath. The breathwork research base is still limited in quality, so treat tactical breathing as a self-regulation skill used alongside, not instead of, professional care (Siebieszuk et al., 2025), (Little, 2025).

### How do I do tactical breathing when I'm stressed?

Settle somewhere stable, then breathe an even count: inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four, keeping each phase smooth and unforced (Lee et al., 2023). Shorten or drop the holds if you feel lightheaded, and stop if you feel faint or more anxious.

Start by sitting or standing somewhere stable where you can stop safely, then run the even 4-4-4-4 cycle: inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four, at a pace you can sustain rather than strain (Lee et al., 2023). If the holds bring on lightheadedness or air-hunger, cut them short or skip them and simply breathe slowly, since the calming effect comes mainly from the slow, even pace. Stop and return to normal breathing if you feel faint or more anxious. Breathwork evidence is still limited in quality, so treat this as an in-the-moment self-regulation skill alongside, not instead of, professional care (Siebieszuk et al., 2025), (Little, 2025).

### What's the difference between tactical breathing and cyclic sighing?

Both are slow, paced breathing that shifts the body toward its calmer rest-and-recover state, but tactical breathing uses equal 4-4-4-4 counts with holds, while cyclic sighing emphasizes long, extended exhalations and has drawn particular attention for lifting mood (Lee et al., 2023).

The core difference is the rhythm and what each is best for. Tactical breathing uses structured, equal counts of inhale, hold, exhale, and hold, which stays easy to hold onto in a high-pressure moment (Lee et al., 2023). Cyclic sighing instead draws each exhale out longer than the inhale; in one controlled study of healthy adults, both patterns improved mood, but exhale-focused cyclic sighing showed the strongest effect (Balban et al., 2023). That comparison rests on box-breathing data used as a stand-in for tactical breathing rather than a head-to-head trial, so read it as a reasonable indication, not a firm finding.

## Glossary

### Box Breathing

A slow breathing pattern with four equal phases of the same length: inhale, hold, exhale, hold. It is the standard shape of tactical breathing, usually counted to four each.

### Parasympathetic Nervous System

The body's rest-and-recover branch, which slows the heart and eases tension after a stress spike. Slow breathing tends to engage it, which can feel like settling and unclenching.

The division of the autonomic nervous system, largely mediated by vagal pathways, that promotes recovery and lowers heart rate; slow paced breathing is proposed to increase its outflow.

### Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

The natural beat-to-beat variation in your pulse. Higher variability generally reflects a calmer, more adaptable nervous system, and slow paced breathing tends to raise it.

The variation in intervals between heartbeats, widely used as a non-invasive index of cardiac vagal (parasympathetic) tone; high-frequency HRV is the component most tied to vagal activity.

### Vagal Tone

How strongly the vagus nerve, the body's main rest-and-recover pathway, is influencing the heart. Slow breathing is thought to turn that influence up, which can feel like the pulse steadying.

The degree of parasympathetic vagal input to the heart, commonly indexed through high-frequency HRV.

### Baroreflex Sensitivity

The reflex that adjusts heart rate to keep blood pressure steady. Greater sensitivity means a more responsive cardiovascular system, and it rises during slow paced breathing.

A measure of how effectively the arterial baroreflex modulates heart rate in response to blood-pressure changes; shown to increase with breathing at roughly six breaths per minute.

### Salivary Alpha-Amylase

A stress chemical in saliva that rises with fight-or-flight arousal and falls as the body settles. Researchers use it as a quick read on how activated the stress response is.

A salivary enzyme used as a proxy marker of sympathetic-adrenal-medullary activation; slow breathing around a stressor has been shown to lower it.

### Sympathetic Tone

The activity level of the body's fight-or-flight branch, which raises heart rate and alertness under threat. Slow, even breathing tends to ease it, felt as the wired, keyed-up quality settling.

The degree of sympathetic nervous-system activation; inferred here indirectly from HRV and salivary alpha-amylase rather than measured directly.

### Interoception

The ability to sense and read internal body signals such as breath movement, heartbeat, and tension. Building it can help you notice early stress cues, though close attention to the breath can feel intensifying for some people.

The perception and interpretation of visceral afferent signals; a proposed target of breath-focused practice, indexed to insular processing.

### Cyclic Sighing

A slow breathing pattern that emphasizes long, extended exhalations rather than equal counts with holds. It shares tactical breathing's calming mechanism but has drawn particular attention for lifting mood.

## Full references

1. A. G. Little (2025). The A52 Breath Method: A Narrative Review of Breathwork for Mental Health and Stress Resilience. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.70098 (other peer reviewed)
2. Jeong-Gon Lee, Jae‐Hoon Lee, Min‐Seong Ha (2023). Cognitive Improvement through Breathing Exercises in Post-Stroke Respiratory Sarcopenia: A Review. https://doi.org/10.15857/ksep.2023.00409 (other peer reviewed)
3. Adam Siebieszuk, Adam Filip Płoński, Marcin Baranowski (2025). Breathwork for Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Does Choosing a Specific Technique Matter?. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci13030127 (other peer reviewed)
4. Mark Jones, Geneveive Smith, Anthony Acevedo, Bridget F. Melton (2026). Effectiveness of Structured Breathwork Interventions on Heart Rate Variability and Heart Rate Recovery Following Maximal Exertion in Tactical Athletes. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000003972 (randomized controlled trial)
5. Fabio Ibrahim, Jonas Schumacher, Lars Schwandt, Philipp Yorck Herzberg (2023). The first shot counts the most: Tactical breathing as an intervention to increase marksmanship accuracy in student officers. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2023.2258737 (randomized controlled trial)
6. Stéphane Bouchard, François P. Bernier, Éric Boivin, Brian Morin, Geneviève Robillard (2012). Using Biofeedback while Immersed in a Stressful Videogame Increases the Effectiveness of Stress Management Skills in Soldiers. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036169 (randomized controlled trial)
7. Lindsay Grubish, JT Kessler, Karen McGrane, Jason Bothwell (2016). 296 Implementation of Tactical Breathing During Simulated Stressful Situations and Effects on Clinical Performance. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.08.311 (other peer reviewed)
8. Courtney C. Dillard, M. Hunter Martaindale, Stacy D. Hunter, Matthew J. McAllister (2023). Slow Breathing Reduces Biomarkers of Stress in Response to a Virtual Reality Active Shooter Training Drill. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11162351 (observational)
9. Melis Yilmaz Balban, Eric Neri, Manuela M. Kogon, Lara Weed, Bita Nouriani, Booil Jo (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895 (randomized controlled trial)
10. Lin I M, Tai L Y, Fan S Y (2014). Breathing at a rate of 5.5 breaths per minute with equal inhalation-to-exhalation ratio increases heart rate variability.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.12.006 (observational)
11. Yosef Kula, Oren Wacht, Izhar Ben Shlomo, Asaf Gitler, Yori Gidron (2025). Does heart rate variability predict and improve performance in pediatric CPR?—a simulation study. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-025-01209-9 (randomized controlled trial)
12. McCaul K D, Solomon S, Holmes D S (1979). Effects of paced respiration and expectations on physiological and psychological responses to threat.. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.37.4.564 (other peer reviewed)
13. Matsumoto Takuya, Masuda Takashi, Hotta Kazuki, Shimizu Ryosuke, Ishii Akira, Kutsuna Toshiki (2011). Effects of prolonged expiration breathing on cardiopulmonary responses during incremental exercise.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resp.2011.06.025 (randomized controlled trial)
14. Aodhagán Conlon, Rachel Arnold, Ezio Preatoni, Lee J. Moore (2022). Pulling the Trigger: The Effect of a 5-Minute Slow Diaphragmatic Breathing Intervention on Psychophysiological Stress Responses and Pressurized Pistol Shooting Performance. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2021-0213 (randomized controlled trial)
15. Chacko N. Joseph, Cesare Porta, Gaia Casucci, Nadia Casiraghi, Mara Maffeis, Marco Rossi (2005). Slow Breathing Improves Arterial Baroreflex Sensitivity and Decreases Blood Pressure in Essential Hypertension. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.hyp.0000179581.68566.7d (observational)
16. Tobias Raupach, F. Bahr, Peter Herrmann, L. Luethje, Karsten Heusser, Gerd Hasenfuß (2008). Slow breathing reduces sympathoexcitation in COPD. https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.00109607 (observational)

## More Tactical Breathing in Insight Timer

Editorially curated. Tracks are not themselves clinically studied; evidence on the page applies to Tactical Breathing as a technique.

- [174Hz Binaural: Panic Relief (Acute Anxiety Reset)](https://insighttimer.com/jeffreyallen/guided-meditations/174hz-binaural-panic-relief-acute-anxiety-reset) — Jeffrey Allen, Guided, 5 min, rated 5.0/5
- [Your Words Are Powerful](https://insighttimer.com/breathpod/guided-meditations/visualize-become-your-next-level-self) — Stuart Sandeman, Guided, 11 min, rated 4.9/5
- [Managing Extreme Stress For Military Service Members & First Responders (Exercise Only - With Kate Tumelty Felice)](https://insighttimer.com/jondmac01/guided-meditations/managing-extreme-stress-for-military-service-members-and-first-responders-exercise-only) — Jon Macaskill, Guided, 2 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Healing The Parental Line](https://insighttimer.com/awakenwbrandon/guided-meditations/healing-the-parental-line) — Brandon Wilcox, Guided, 19 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Breathwork To Release Stress & Tension](https://insighttimer.com/jakekokot/guided-meditations/breathwork-to-release-stress-tension) — Jake Kokot, Guided, 29 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Tactical Breath Meditation For Leaders](https://insighttimer.com/DianeAlarcon/guided-meditations/tactical-breath-meditation-for-leaders) — Diane Alarcon, Guided, 2 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Metta Tree Meditation And Breath Work](https://insighttimer.com/ryanbean/guided-meditations/metta-tree-meditation-and-breath-work) — Ryan Bean, Guided, 23 min, rated 4.8/5
- [Immediate Anxiety Relief: Cortisol Detox Breathwork](https://insighttimer.com/Life.Force.Awakening/guided-meditations/calm-in-5-minutes-cortisol-detox-breath) — Jeremiah Hoeft, Guided, 6 min, rated 4.8/5